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| Kingdoms / Animalia / Craniata / Aves / Anseriformes / Anatidae / Anas / Species |
| < > Anas hottentota - Hottentot teal (Click photographs/illustrations: full picture & further details) |
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Alternative Names (Synonyms) |
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| Hottentottenente (German) Sarcelle hottentote (French) Cerceta hotentote (Spanish) Anas punctata Punanetta hottentota |
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Names for newly-hatched |
Duckling, downy. |
Names for non-breeding males or other colour-phases |
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Species Author |
Debra Bourne |
Major References |
B1, B3, B5, B8, B19, B25, B26. |
Other References |
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TAXA Group (where information has been collated for an entire group on a modular basis) |
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Parent Group |
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Specific Needs Group referenced in Management Techniques |
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Aviculture information |
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Notes |
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Management Techniques |
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External Appearance (Morphology)
Measurement & Weight |
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| Length | 12-14 inches, 30-35cm (B3); 30-36cm (B1). | |
| Adult weight | General | 224-253g (B3); 216-282g (B1); 7.9-8.9 ounces (B8). |
| Male | -- | |
| Female | -- | |
| Newly-hatched weight | -- | |
| Growth rate | -- | |
| Adult | Bill | Male | Blue with black dorsal (culmen) line (B3, B5, B8, B25, B26) |
| Variations (If present) | -- | ||
| Eyes (Iris) | Male | Brown (B5, B25). | |
| Variations(If present) | -- | ||
| Juvenile | Bill | Blue with black dorsal (culmen) line, duller than in adults (B25). | |
| Eyes (Iris) | Brown (B5, B25). | ||
| Adult | Male | Dark blue-grey (B5, B25). |
| Variations (If present) | -- | |
| Juvenile | Dark blue-grey (B5, B25). | |
| Adult | Male | Dorsal head from eye upward, and hind neck black-brown, ventral head, sides and fore-neck buff with dusky patch on sides of upper neck. Breast and underparts buff with dark brown spots, largest on fore flanks; rear flanks plain buff. Rump blackish, tail-coverts and hind abdomen/ventral region vermiculated buff and blackish. Upperparts dark brown with greyish edges to feathers. Wing black-brown with faint green-blue gloss, secondaries metallic green, black subterminal band, broad white tips (B3, B5, B8, B25). |
| Variations (If present) | Female:- duller; crown browner, patch on neck less defined, scapulars shorter, ventral region not vermiculated, secondaries browner (B1, B3, B25). | |
| Juvenile | Duller than female (B1, B3, B25). | |
Newly-hatched Characteristics |
| General: Upperparts
sepia brown, underparts pale buff (B1, B5). Bill: Grey (B5). Feet: Grey (B5). |
Reproductive Season |
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| Time of year | Geographical variation; may be most of year when water levels suitable; mainly January-April in South Africa, June-October in Kenya (B1, B25). |
| No. of Clutches | Probably re-nest if brood fails (B3). |
Nest placement and structure |
| Nest on ground, hidden in dense waterside vegetation, cup-shape, sometimes covered, constructed from reeds and grass, with dense down lining (B1, B3, B8, B25, B26). |
Egg clutches |
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| No. of Eggs | Average | 7 (B3). |
| Range | 6-9 (B1, B8); 6-8 (B3). | |
| Egg Description | Cream, light brown or yellow-buff (B3, B8); size: 43 x 33 mm; weight: 25g (B3). | |
| 24-27 days (B1, B8); 25-27 days (B3). |
| Synchronous. |
| 45-55 days (B8). |
Sexual Maturity |
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| Males | Presumed one year old (Anas standard). |
| Females | Presumed one year old (Anas standard). |
Feeding Behaviour |
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| Adults | Dabble on surface while swimming and wading and from shore, head-dip and up-end in shallows (B1, B3, B25). |
| Newly-hatched | -- |
Parental Behaviour |
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| Nest-building | Solitary or in loose groups, built by female (B1, B8). |
| Incubation | By female; male remains nearby (B3, B8). |
| Newly-hatched | Tended by female, but males sometimes accompany brood (B8). |
| Juveniles | -- |
Social Behaviour |
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| Intra-specific | Usually found in pairs or small groups, with larger groups (up to 400 birds) sometimes forming outside the breeding season (B5, B8, B25). |
| Inter-specific | Freely mix with other Dabbling Ducks, particularly Anas erythrorhyncha - Red-billed ducks (B8, B25). |
Sexual Behaviour |
| Monogamous pair bonds form before breeding season, but may also be long-term, with male sometimes accompanying female and ducklings (B8, B25). |
Predation in Wild |
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| Loaf during the day in small groups on shore and in marsh vegetation (B8, B25). | |
| Circadian | Feed most actively in early morning and evening, but also forage at night (B3, B8, B25). |
| Aquatic plants (seeds, fruits, roots, green parts); also aquatic invertebrates (molluscs, crustaceans, insects and their larvae) (B1, B3). |
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Distribution and Movement (Migration etc.) |
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| Normal | Tropical eastern Africa: Ethiopia to Cape Province, westward to northern Botswana and Namibia, and Madagascar (B1, B19). |
| Occasional and Accidental | |
| Introduced | -- |
| Freshwater swamps, marshes, pools, streams, shallow small lakes with abundant floating and fringe vegetation (B1, B3, B8, B19, B25). |
Intraspecific variation |
| Madagascan population previously separated as Anas punctata (= hottentota) delacouri, but no longer recognised as separate sub-species (B5, B25). |
Conservation Status |
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| Wild Population - (Importance) |
Not globally threatened, fairly widespread and locally numerous (B1, B8). |
| CITES listing | -- |
| Red-data book listing | -- |
| Threats | -- |
Captive Populations |
| Popular in collections (B8). |
| -- |
